Best of Booze #2

BEST OF

BOOZE Bar magazine No.2 2016

Jerry Lindahl

An Exclusive Interview

Session Beer

The Summer Beer

“Whiskey in the Jar”

Drinking Songs

Microbreweries

Erik Öl-sson Opinion

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BEST OF

BOOZE Produced by: Ace Publications Stockholm Sweden e-mail: info@acepublications.se Editor: Noel Sheehy

INDEX #2 2016 6. Beer for Beginners 10. Ale Bitter 12. Janko’s London Pubs Guide Part2

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14.Jerry Lindahl interview 16. Scotch Whisky & Culture 20. Flensburger Fruhlingsbock 22. Bar Watch St Clara & The International Bar

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24. Irish Whiskey Ambassador -Claire Gavin Contributors: Jerry Lindahl Erik Öl-sson Janko Per Brandorf Helsing Leon smith Layout & Design: Johno Reffero Ace Publications

26. Session Beer

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31. Trappist Beer with Per 32. Gin, Just the Tonic 36. Swedish Craft Beer with Erik Öl-sson 38.Rum Cocktail Competition

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40. Summer Wine 43. Irish Drinking songs

Welcome readers!

Here is issue two, Best Of Booze. With the summer ahead we look at the drink you are most likely to see at Barbeques, Session Beer. We look at Craft Beer in Sweden and Trappist Beer. German Beer Flensburger Fruhlingsbock comes under our microscope.

We put Drink Expert, Jerry Lindahl on the spot. And walk the streets of London with Janko, looking for the best Ale pubs. Staying with Britain we look at Ales, or Bitter as they are known there. We sit down with Claire Gavin, the new Irish Whiskey Ambassador. Staying Irish we look at music connected to Pub culture. We also look at some great pubs in Sweden. And in Scotland, we look at Whisky heritage. In Spirits we look at Gin and Rum separately. And finally we look at summer wine..

Enjoy the read Slainte!

Noel

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Beer for Beginners Text: Noel Sheehy

Most of our readers know their beer, but I was asked to write about beer for people, especially some women who know little about it.

Not everyone comes from a Beer culture, itm ight be that wine is the main drink.

So here we hope to tell you the basics within the world of beer. And hopefully we can point you in the direction of the beer you are most likely to enjoy the best. A good tip is many women tend to prefer sweeter beers.

Beer types could be broken down into regions or countries, as some countries like specific types of beer. So for now we can think of beer on a large scale as opposed to Beer from microbreweries who brew anything they please.

Ireland: The type of beer best known here is red Ale ie Kilkenny and Stout also known as Porter i.e. Smithwick’s. It’s darker than regular beer. Ale is typically reddish in colour and has less gas in it. Porter is typically black, just think of Guinness or Murphy’s, and this is due to roasted barley ingredient. Britain is also famous for Ale, or bitter as its known there. Again think of a slightly red colour.

France, Holland, Spain, Sweden countries like these have regular beer, golden in colour very much a lager like Carlsberg or Heineken. Belgium has stronger beers with much more variety and darker colours, often the beers are 8%. Germany has the Wheat Beers,(Weiss Bier) served in long elegant glasses, often cloudy in colour. Czech Beer is very much a lager or Pilsner, named after the city of Pilsner. Beers are tasty and generally around 5 % strength. Other unfiltered Beer may be slightly stronger.

In the US beers are mostly light lagers like Budweiser. However recent years has seen a trend of IPA style beers (Indian Pale Ale) These are more tasty beers with more hoppy 6

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taste effect. Some people really enjoy the flavour and ask for Double IPA. Beer style differentiates and categorize beers by factors such as colour, flavour, strength, ingredients, production method, recipe, history, or origin.

The modern concept of beer style is largely based on the work of writer Michael Jackson in his 1977 book The World Guide To Beer in which he categorised beers from around the world into style groups according to local customs and names. In 1989, Fred Eckhardt furthered Jackson’s work publishing The Essentials of Beer Style. Although the systematic study of beer styles is a modern phenomenon, the practice of distinguishing between different varieties of beer is ancient, dating to at least 2000 BC. The study of what constitutes a beer’s style may involve provenance, local tradition, ingredients, and/or empirical impression, which is conventionally broken down into several elements; typically - aroma, appearance, flavour and mouthfeel. The flavour may include the degree of bitterness of a beer due to bittering agents such as hops, roasted barley, or herbs; and the sweetness from the sugar present in the beer.

Elements of beer style Beers may be categorized based on a number of factors.

Image: A Variety of Beer

Appearance The visual characteristics that may be observed in a beer are colour, clarity, and nature of the head. Colour is usually imparted by the malts used, notably the adjunct malts added to darker beers, though other ingredients may contribute to the colour of some styles such as fruit beers.

Colour intensity can be measured by systems such as EBC, but this information is rarely given to the public.

Grains Most beers use barley malt as their primary source of fermentable sugars, and some beer styles mandate it be used exclusively, such as those German styles developed under Reinheitsgebot. Some beer styles can be considered varietals, in the same sense as wine, based on their malt bill.

Kilned pale malts form the basis of most beer styles now in production, with styles that use other grains as a base distinguished by those grains.

Many beers are transparent, but some beers, such as hefeweizen, may be cloudy due to the presence of yeast making them translucent. A third variety is the opaque or near-opaque colour that exists with stouts, porters, schwarzbiers (black beer) and other deeply coloured styles.

Thickness and retention of the head and the lace it can leave on the glass, are also factors in a beer’s appearance.

Some styles use one or more other grains as a key ingredient in the style, such as wheat beer, rye beer, or oatmeal stout. The inclusion of some grains such as corn and rice is often viewed as making less of a flavour contribution and more of an added source of fermentable sugars. Rice in particular “is considered by many craft brewers what the nasty industrial brewers use to water down their beer”. This is due in large part to the use of rice by large scale American breweries. While it is commonly held that these breweries introduced these grains to their formulas during war shortages. The American brewing industry was built in the late 19th century by first-generation German American immigrants.

Although these men, craft brewers themselves, initially re-created the full-bodied beers of their homeland, many Americans had not developed a taste for the malt-heavy style. They needed a domestic ingredient that would make the beers more effervescent, bubbly and lighter. Rice and corn did that – it was a desired flavor, not inexpensive filler.

Hops contribute bitterness, flavour and aroma to a beer in different ways depending on when they are added during the brewing process. How much hop bitterness and aroma is appropriate varies between beer styles. There are many varieties of hops, some of which are associated with beers from specific regions. For example, Saaz hops are associated with Czech Pilsners; Hallertau and Tettnanger are two of the “noble” hop varieties one expects to find in German beers, and Kent Goldings are an English variety.

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Beer for Beginners -Continued Water Water is the main ingredient in beer, and, though water itself is flavorless, the chemical composition can have an influence on the finished taste; indeed, some brewers regard it as “the most important ingredient in beer”. In particular, two styles of beer are especially noted for their water chemistry: pale ale, for which the process of Burtonisation is widespread; and Pilsner.

Mouthfeel The feel of a beer in the mouth, both from thickness of the liquid and from carbonation, may also be considered as part of a beer’s style. A more dextrinous beer feels thicker in the mouth. The level of carbonation (or nitrogen, in “smooth” beers) varies from one beer style to another. For some beers it may give the beer a thick and creamy feel, while for others it contributes a prickly sensation.

Flavour The taste characteristics of a beer may come from the type and amount of malt used, flavours imparted by the yeast, and strength of bitterness. Bitterness can be measured on an International Bitterness Units scale, and in North America a number of brewers record the bitterness on this scale as IBUs.

Strength The strength of beer is a general term for the amount of alcohol present. It can be quantified either indirectly by measurement of specific gravity, or more directly by determining the overall percentage of alcohol in the beer. In Summer people tend to drink lighter beer, while in winter Belgian beer is most popular.

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Feeling Bitter?

While it might strange to us, in the UK ordering a pint of “Bitter” is a daily occurrence.

Text: Noel Sheehy You know you are in Britain when you hear drinkers refer to beer as Bitter. Drinking traditions in some parts of Britain have not changed for many years.

Bitter is an English term for pale ale. Bitters vary in colour from gold to dark amber and in strength from 3% to 7% alcohol by volume.

Style Bitter belongs to the pale ale style and can have a great variety of strength, flavour and appearance from dark amber to golden summer ale. It can go under 3% abv — known as Boys Bitter — and as high as 7% with premium or strong bitters. The colour may be controlled by the addition of caramel colouring.

Sub-types of bitter British brewers have several loose names for variations in beer strength, such as best bitter, special bitter, extra special bitter, and premium bitter. There is no agreed and defined difference between an ordinary and a best bitter other than one particular brewery’s best bitter will usually be stronger than its ordinary. Two groups of drinkers may mark differently the point at which a best bitter then becomes a premium bitter. Hop levels will vary within each sub group, though there is a tendency for the hops in the session bitter group to be more noticeable.

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Session or ordinary bitter Strength up to 4.1% abv. The majority of British beers with the name India Pale Ale will be found in this group, such as Greene King IPA, Deuchars IPA, Flowers IPA, Wadworth Henrys Original IPA, etc.

IPAs with gravities below 1040º have been brewed in Britain since at least the 1920s. This is the most common strength of bitter sold in British pubs. It accounted for 16.9% of pub sales in 2003.

Best or special bitter Strength between 4.2% and 4.7% abv. In the United Kingdom bitter above 4.2% abv accounted for just 2.9% of pub sales in 2003. The disappearance of weaker bitters from some brewers’ rosters means “best” bitter is actually the weakest in the range.

Premium or Strong Bitter Strength of 4.8% abv and over. Also known as Extra Special Bitter, or in Canada and the USA, ESB. (ESB is a brand name owned by Fuller’s Brewery in the UK) Golden ale Golden or summer ale has an appearance and profile similar to that of a pale lager. Hop Back Brewery brewed one of the first, called Summer Lightning, in 1989.

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Janko’s London Pub & Beer Guide -Part 2 Text: Jan-Erik Svensson

Here we continue a tour of London with Jan-Erik Svensson where he seeks out exciting bars offering great English Beer or Ale.

In the very centre of West End, where all the other tourists are, you can fit three more pubs that are wort a visit. The Lamb & Flag (33 Rose Street) is a very lively and often crowded Fullers pub close to everything. If you want something more modern than Fullers, try Adnams Ghost Ship with some good American hops.

Nearby, at The Salisbury (90 St. Martin’s Lane), you could try a Landlord or the more modern Wild Hare from Bath. An old-fashioned, traditional looking and nicely decorated pub with a mix of locals and tourists.

Last but not least, The Harp (47 Chandos Place) is one of the pubs mainly aiming at the real beer geeks. It has been a CAMRA haven for decades, and the selection of beers on tap is very interesting. For instance Harvey’s Sussex Best Bitter with a dry, malty body balanced with a straightforward bitterness. At The Harp, you will probably drink your beer standing.

This walk is of course not covering all the good pubs in central London. I have not covered areas like Belgravia or Soho. I can assure every beer lover that you will find very good beer in a very pleasant atmosphere at a least a couple of places if you try my suggestions.

Sunday at lunchtime: Southwark The area around London Bridge in Southwark is attracting people from all over the city and has a character of its own. Old buildings full of a small town atmosphere are crouching under the Shard, the tallest building in the EU. On weekdays, the Borough Market is flooded with people looking for the most exclusive foods.

And there are some interesting pubs in the area too.

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The place to eat is definitely The George Inn(77 Borough High Street), where you can get things like a George Beef- Pie that will satisfy you cravings for weird British food. The pub is an old coaching Inn, one of the most old-fashioned interiors you will find in London. It was built long before the era of mirrors and carpets and the atmosphere will remind you of the world before steam engines and cast iron. There are some good beers too. Greene King IPA is malty and full-bodied with some fruit and balancing hops – but perhaps less than you would want in an IPA. Morland Original Bitter from the same brewery is sold as George Ale or The George Inn Ale at the pub. It is a really good beer with light body, soft fruit and a remarkably fresh bitterness. Hop Stuff Fusilier is made by a brewery in Woolwich east of central London and the beer is dominated by American style hops. The George Inn is hidden from the main street and has a yard with tables where you can sit if you prefer glass skyscrapers.

Very close to the north, you will find The Old King’s Head (47-49 Borough High Street), a much more conventional pub but still very oldfashioned with a pleasant atmosphere. It is basically a large, high room with a bar in the middle.

Among several good beers on tap, you might like to try St. Austell’s Tribute with typically British fudgy fruit and a touch of American hops. St. Austell’s Proper Job is even better, lighter in colour and with a more modern taste. The beers are brewed in Cornwall Just opposite the Borough Market, you will find The Market Porter (9 Stoney Street) with a more tortuous interior but still very pleasant with wooden panels and the like. Among traditional-tasting beers you might try Harvey’s Sussex Best Bitter, if you prefer more modern beers you might like Great Bastard from Stonehenge Ales and Darwin’s Origin from Salopian in Shropshire.

In this case, I would prefer the more traditional British beer.

Finally, I want to recommend a visit to The White Hart (22 Great Suffolk Street) close to the Southwark station and not far from Waterloo station. Unfortunately, it is closed on weekends.

But it is a good place to begin on a Friday. Very traditional pub, but it gets crowded when people are on their way from work. Excellent Landlord and a good place to try Fullers London Pride.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jan-Erik Svensson lectures regularly at including restaurant universities in Grythyttan and Umeå and is the author of Ölkunskap, the first and only Swedish textbook on beer.

Grenadine Publisher has previously published a handbook beer. Jan-Erik is frequently hired for beer tasting and a judge both in Sweden and abroad, and he also arranges trips with unique themes to Europe’s premier Beer coutries. He has received awards from, among other things, Swedish Ölfrämjandet, Stockholm Beer & Whisky Festival and Skåneländska Gastronomiska Akademien.

He is honorary member in several Beer societies.

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Meet Jerry Lindahl, Text: Noel Sheehy

In Sweden’s alcohol branch the names Jerry Lindahl is one familiar to most. It would be difficult to meet a more amiable or obliging fellow. His knowledge is fantastic and he has helped many companies along the way. I feel it was time his contribution to the sector was recognized.

Jerry tell us a little about what you do?

In a nutshell I run the company, Avec Provningar, whereby I regularly hold lectures and tastings.

My business is to teach, entertain and spread the knowledge of alcoholic beverages in a relaxed and informative way.

Also, I have chocolate and cigars in my tasting portfolio. I am co-author of the books A Handbook chocolate, liquor A book and a handbook Bourbon Others - Issued at Grenadine Book publishing AB. I write regularly in several trade magazines.

Which drinks do you cover?

I lead tastings of chocolate, cigar, gin, rum, schnapps, tequila, whiskey, wine, beer and much more.

Describe more about how you work?

My belief is that if we are laughing and having fun as we remember better. Therefore, I have my niche within customer activities where there is a need to have a closer contact with a new customer, or where a relationship needs to be strengthened. For example, it may be that you want to get a better team-feeling at work, get a drive on a project or need assistance in getting a successful kick-off.

How do you teach?

In my tests, I do not talk jargon. I present the topic in a down to earth level, so that it becomes an understandable and instructive for all. I know of the group’s knowledge. By gaging the interest and curiosity, I can gradually raise the level in a way so that everyone in the group hangs out with and gets it!

What is your Education or Training?

I lead classes in my subject areas. In addition to clean tests, I have been teaching professionals on ie, Restaurant Academy.

Tell us about your types of tastings?

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Chocolate Tasting: Chocolate going to try crisscrossing different regions, different cocoa concentration or in combination with alcohol, dessert wine or beer.

Cigar Tasting: Learn to appreciate this endangered stimulant. You will learn how to light, smoke and enjoy. Can be combined with a lot and is also relaxing.

Gin Tasting: Gin has an equally dramatic history of whiskey.

Rum Tastings: Exciting pirate drink with surprising many varieties.

Snaps Tasting: Perhaps the most Swedish we have, unbeatable at the Swedish smorgasbord should snaps not belong to the world cultural heritage?

Tequila Tasting: Tequila has been undeservedly bad reputation. Already after a few years of aging in oak barrels, the drink is both softer and more pleasant. Why not try an aged tequila with a good cigar?

Wine Tasting: To try the wine is both easy and fun in a group. Experience is not necessary. Most people can learn to appreciate a good wine. The key is to get some testing technology before the test.

Whisk(e)y Tasting: Scottish, Irish, American.

Simply all the varieties and combinations, you make the choice!

Beer Tasting: At least as complex and fun to try wine: Over- or spontaneous yeast; lager, wheat beer or ale. Just choose the style that you are curious about.

Finally if you should wish to book a test see my home page: avecprovning.se Editor’s Note- Drinking with Jerry is an amazing experience of fun and knowledge

The Master of Tasting

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Scotland & Whisky....

Text: Nollaig Mac Sithaigh

Scotland is an amazing country steeped in culture with an amazing history. Whisky has always been an important part of that. The Clans, the tartan, the hills and valleys are images we associate with Scotland.

Currently Outlander hits our TV screens telling a wonderful story of Scotland in 1700s. And the battle against England for power.

Scotch whisky, often simply called Scotch, is malt whisky or grain whisky made in Scotland.

Scotch whisky must be made in a manner specified by law.All Scotch whisky was originally made from malted barley. Commercial distilleries began introducing whisky made from wheat and rye in the late 18th century.

Scotch whisky is divided into five distinct categories: Single malt Scotch whisky, Single grain Scotch whisky, Blended malt Scotch whisky (formerly called “vatted malt” or “pure malt”), Blended grain Scotch whisky, Blended Scotch whisky.

All Scotch whisky must be aged in oak barrels for at least three years. Any age statement on a bottle of Scotch whisky, expressed in numerical form, must reflect the age of the youngest whisky used to produce that product. A whisky with an age statement is known as guaranteed-age whisky.

Scotch Whisky reference?

The first written mention of Scotch whisky is in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, 1495. A friar named John Cor was the distiller at Lindores Abbey in the Kingdom of Fife.

Many Scotch whisky drinkers will refer to a unit for drinking as a dram.

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Regulations and labelling Legal definition The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SWR) define and regulate the production, labelling, packaging as well as the advertising of Scotch whisky in the United Kingdom. They replace previous regulations that focused solely on production.

International trade agreements have the effect of making some provisions of the SWR apply in various other countries as well as in the UK. The SWR define “Scotch whisky” as whisky that is: Produced at a distillery in Scotland from water and malted barley (to which only whole grains of other cereals may be added) all of which have been: Processed at that distillery into a mash.

Converted at that distillery to a fermentable substrate only by endogenous enzyme systems.

Fermented at that distillery only by adding yeast.

Distilled at an alcoholic strength by volume of less than 94.8% (190 US proof) Wholly matured in an excise warehouse in Scotland in oak casks of a capacity not exceeding 700 litres (185 US gal )for at least three years.

Retaining the colour, aroma, and taste of the raw materials used in, and the method of, its production and maturation.

Containing no added substances, other than water and plain (E150A) caramel colouring. Comprising a minimum alcoholic strength by volume of 40% (80 US proof).

. Alba agus Uisce Beatha

Image:Outland Series based on Scotland 1700sgh Labelling A Scotch whisky label comprises several elements that indicate aspects of production, age, bottling, and ownership. Some of these elements are regulated by the SWR, and some reflect tradition and marketing. The spelling of the term “whisky” is often debated by journalists and consumers. Scottish, Australian and Canadian whiskies use “whisky”, Irish whiskies use “whiskey”, while American and other styles vary in their spelling of the term.

The label always features a declaration of the malt or grain whiskies used. A single malt Scotch whisky is one that is entirely produced from malt in one distillery. One may also encounter the term “single cask”, signifying the bottling comes entirely from one cask. The term “blended malt” signifies that single malt whisky from different distilleries are blended in the bottle. The Cardhu distillery also began using the term “pure malt” for the same purpose, causing a controversy in the process over clarity in labelling – the Glenfiddich distillery was using the term to describe some single malt bottlings. As a result, the Scotch Whisky Association declared that a mixture of single malt whiskies must be labelled a “blended malt”. The use of the former terms “vatted malt” and “pure malt” is prohibited. The term “blended malt” is still debated, as some bottlers maintain that consumers confuse the term with “blended Scotch whisky”, which contains some proportion of grain whisky.

The brand name featured on the label is usually the same as the distillery name. Indeed, the SWR prohibit bottlers from using a distillery name when the whisky was not made there. A bottler name may also be listed, sometimes independent of the distillery. In addition to requiring that Scotch whisky be distilled in Scotland, the SWR require that it also be bottled and labelled in Scotland. Labels may also indicate the region of the distillery. Alcoholic strength is expressed on the label with “Alcohol By Volume” (“ABV”) or sometimes simply “Vol”. Typically, bottled whisky is between 40% and 46% ABV. Whisky is considerably stronger when first emerging from the cask—normally 60–63% ABV. Water is then added to create the desired bottling strength. If the whisky is not diluted before bottling, it can be labelled as cask strength.

A whisky’s age may be listed on the bottle providing a guarantee of the youngest whisky used.

An age statement on the bottle, in the form of a number, must reflect the age of the youngest whisky used to produce that product. A whisky with an age statement is known as guaranteed age whisky. Scotch whisky without an age statement may, by law, be as young as three years old. In the early 21st century, such “No age statement” whiskies became more common, as distilleries responded to the depletion of aged stocks caused by improved sales. A label may carry a distillation date or a bottling date. Whisky does not mature once bottled, so if no age state BEST OF BOOZE_ Nº 02 2016

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is provided, one may calculate the age of the whisky if both the distillation date and bottling date are given.

Labels may also carry various declarations of filtration techniques or final maturation processes. A Scotch whisky labelled as “natural” or “non-chill-filtered” has not been through a filtration process during bottling that removes compounds that some consumers see as desirable. Whisky is aged in various types of casks and often in used sherry or port casks—during distinct portions of the maturation process, and will take on characteristics, flavour and aromas from such casks. Special casks are sometimes used at the end of the maturation process, and such whiskies may be labelled as “wood finished”, “sherry/port finished”, and so on.

Types There are two basic types of Scotch whisky, from which all blends are made: Single malt Scotch whisky means a Scotch whisky produced from only water and malted barley at a single distillery by batch distillation in pot stills.

Single grain Scotch whisky means a Scotch whisky distilled at a single distillery but, in addition to water and malted barley, may involve whole grains of other malted or unmalted cereals. “Single grain” does not mean that only a single type of grain was used to produce the whisky rather, the adjective “single” refers only to the use of a single distillery (and making a “single grain” requires using a mixture of grains, as barley is a type of grain and some malted barley must be used in all Scotch whisky).

Excluded from the definition of “single grain Scotch whisky” is any spirit that qualifies as a single malt Scotch whisky or as a blended Scotch whisky. The latter exclusion is to ensure that a blended Scotch whisky produced from single malt(s) and single grain(s) distilled at the same distillery does not also qualify as single grain Scotch whisky.

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Three types of blends are defined for Scotch whisky: Blended malt Scotch whisky means a blend of two or more single malt Scotch whiskies from different distilleries.

Blended grain Scotch whisky means a blend of two or more single grain Scotch whiskies from different distilleries.

Blended Scotch whisky means a blend of one or more single malt Scotch whiskies with one or more single grain Scotch whiskies.

The five Scotch whisky definitions are structured in such a way that the categories are mutually exclusive. The 2009 regulations changed the formal definition of blended Scotch whisky to achieve this result, but in a way that reflected traditional and current practice: before the 2009 SWR, any combination of Scotch whiskies qualified as a blended Scotch whisky, including for example a blend of single malt Scotch whiskies.

As was the case under the Scotch Whisky Act 1988, regulation 5 of the SWR 2009 stipulates that the only whisky that may be manufactured in Scotland is Scotch whisky. The definition of manufacture is “keeping for the purpose of maturation; and keeping, or using, for the purpose of blending, except for domestic blending for domestic consumption”.

Single grain The majority of grain whisky produced in Scotland goes to make blended Scotch whisky. The average blended whisky is 60%–85% grain whisky. Some higher-quality grain whisky from a single distillery is bottled as single grain whisky.

Blended malt Blended malt whisky—formerly called vatted malt or pure malt (terms that are now prohibited in the SWR 2009)—is one of the least common types of Scotch: a blend of single malts from more than one distillery (possibly with differing ages).

Blended Blended Scotch whisky constitutes about 90% of the whisky produced in Scotland. Blended Scotch whiskies contain both malt whisky and grain whisky. Producers combine the various malts and grain whiskies to produce a consistent brand style.

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Flensburger Fruhlingsbock, Text: Leon Smith

Flensburger Fruhlingsbock. This is brewed for the spring and summer seasons. It is the winner of the 2014 World Beer Awards as Europe’s Best Lager Bock.

Since 1888, Flensburger Brewery brew their fine beers in accordance with the German purity law since 1516. Only the finest ingredients are used in the brewing process. The water comes from Flensburger Gletscherquelle, barley malt from selected coastal routes in Schleswig-Holstein. It is not just its fresh taste and its high quality that makes Flensburger beer popular, it is a much more unique swing - top bottle and the typical plop “sound that has become an integral part of its brand identity.

Product Description This large spring bock beer pours a clear pale golden colour with a solid white head. Clear aroma of hops and yeast. Sweet, taste of malt, enriched by clear hops and bitterness and a distinct spicy note. Very well balanced. One of the best Bock beers on the market and a favourite with a strength of 6.9%.

Flensburger Brauerei is a brewery located in Flensburg in the Bundesland (federal state) of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is one of the last country-wide operating breweries not being part of a larger brewery group. The company was founded in 1888 by five citizens of Flensburg. Today it is still mainly held by the founder families Petersen and Dethleffsen.

Production The building of the Flensburger Brauerei Before modern refrigeration, the brewery used to chop blocks of ice from frozen lakes in the winter and bring the blocks back to the brewery to keep their underground storage facilities cool in summer.

The brewery is still operating its own water well, which is supplied by an underground vein of very old Ice Age melting water coming from Scandinavia. The company has about 120 employees (as of 2008) and is known for running technically advanced and highly automated production processes.

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In popular culture The Flensburger beers are usually just called Flens by the local people when ordering one. The swing stopper making the typical “plopp” sound when opening has become part of the corporate identity. Since running a marketing campaign emphasizing the stereotype of the stoic, blunt and ironic North German mentality the Flens brand has become a symbol of self-identification for the region.

Seasonal Beer types Flensburger Winterbock – Seasonally available dark bock with 7.0% abv.

Flensburger Frühlingsbock – Seasonally available dark bock with 6.9% abv.

A taste of Germany

Seasonal Beer types Flensburger Winterbock – Seasonally available dark bock with 7.0% abv.

Flensburger Frühlingsbock – Seasonally available dark bock with 6.9% abv.

Regular Beer Flensburger Pilsener – North German variation of the pilsener style with 4.8% abv Flensburger Gold – Another Pilsener (similar to lager style) with 4.8% abv Flensburger Dunkel – Dunkel style with 4.8% abv Flensburger Weizen – Unfiltered wheat beer with 5.1% abv Flensburger Kellerbier – Unfiltered kellerbier style with 4.8% abv Flensburger Edles Helles – A helles beer marketed as 125th anniversary brew.

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Bar Watch:

S:ta Clara Bierhus- Beer With music?

Tucked away in the heart of the old town at Lilla Nygatan 17 you will find a great cosy bar restaurant. As the name suggested there is a good German feel to it.

Text: Leon Smith S:ta Clara has been serving Stockholm with traditional hand crafted Swedish food, (husmanskost) and central European dishes since 1867. The restaurant once located in the city center moved to its present location in The Old Town, where they have added music to the menu!!

They specialise in Swedish and central European food and beverages. With quiet an extensive selection of beverages, craft and commercial, wines and non-alcoholic alternatives.

They participate in Stockholm Jazz Festival every year. They have free live music for their guests in the cellar Tuesday - Saturday from 20:00, the styles vary from Jazz to Blues.

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S:ta Clara has excellent chefs, experienced bar and service personnel. They want to make you and your family’s visit with us as memorable as possible in a great way!

For Beer lovers, S:ta Clara don’t disappoint with their range of Craft and International German Beers. They have a selection of 15 tap beers, some of which they rotate to keep the selection new and updated. They also stock their own brewed beer, “Old Town Dark” and of course other Craft brews, both Swedish and International. S:ta Clara have also a range of bottled beers and an assortment of alcohol free alternatives. Note-they always have offers on their “House Beer”.

Bar Watch: The International Bar

This Bar is quite new but already the most talked about bar in town. The staff are well known as they had another bar previously and they know how to run a good bar.

Text: Leon Smith The bar takes fun to a new level as they are armed with Pool & billiards a Sports bar and an Event venue.

I dined there on a few occasions and I can recommend their kitchen. The Guinness and Beers are good too.

Their Whiskey bar is worth seeing The layout of the bar is top notch, its large but cosy at the same time. The following are some comments which guests have written about them.

“A huge bar! You need to go all the way in to get a real grasp.”

“Different rooms with different vibes depending on what you are looking for. The front room for live performing, the man bar for just hanging around for a few pints, the restaurants for some incredible food, the whisky bar for a range of different whiskeys and a chilled out vibe plus the Green Room (complete with a dozen TVs and a huge mega-hd projector screen perfect for big matches). There you can listen to Live Bands, watch Sports, and also take part in Quiz nights. Oh, and I nearly forgot the games room.”

“A great range of beer, food and different types of people. A must-see bar!”

“Great environment for all, food, music, games and sports but most of all totally awesome staff n service ...highly recommended.”

“Amazing, HUGE pub with everything one could wish for: two stages, three bars, games room, snug, loads of TV screens and GREAT music! The new place to be!”

“Great place, great staff, great food and plenty of entertainment. Well worth checking out.”

“Excellent staff. Creamy Guinness and top class music and craic! Highly recommended.”

“Great bar and food with sports and games for all the family. After work quiz, Big screens, Arcade ,Bistro, Live music venue, Comedy”

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Meet Jameson’s Newest Ambassador Text: Noel Sheehy

Here we meet Jameson’s right-hand woman in Sweden, Claire Gavin. And while she has only been here a short while her name is already well known in Whiskey circles.

Where are you from? And where have you worked prior to Sweden?

I’m a Dublin girl, born and bred from a family of six. I’ve been working as a Jameson Ambassador for three years now. My journey began with six weeks of training in Dublin and at the Midleton Distillery, after which I was shipped out to the United States where I had a huge territory of seven states. In my second year I was in Canada and since last October have been based in Stockholm, which I’m delighted about!

Tell us what does your regular day consist of?

That’s a difficult question to answer briefly! This job tends to be more of a lifestyle than a 9 to 5 gig, which I love. No two days are the same.

I could be doing anything from hosting an Irish whiskey tasting, working at whiskey fairs, organising bartender parties or bringing guests back to the distillery in Ireland. It’s a lot of fun and very creative.

I saw you were promoting Irish coffee, is this an important element of Irish whiskey?

It’s a traditional way of drinking Irish whiskey. To be honest though, I’ve never drank so many Irish Coffees until I moved to Sweden. The Swedes know how to make a good Irish Coffee, compared to in the US where they can often make a botched version of the classic. It’s a perfect evening or winter drink. Whereas now with the fine weather people turn to Jameson, Ginger Ale and Lime, which is a lovely and refreshing summer drink.

People in Ireland are starting to drink this and our sales in this area are incredible.

Which whiskeys are you working with?

I’m lucky enough to work with all the Irish whiskeys from our Midleton Distillery in Cork. These include Jameson Black Barrel (an 8-12 year old whiskey from double flame charred bourbon barrels), Jameson 18 Year, Single Pot Still Whiskeys such as Redbreast, and Midleton Very Rare which is one of the finest Irish whiskeys you can get your hands on.

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Anything new or exciting going on with the brands?

Some big news is our Jameson Caskmates edition. We partnered with a local craft brewery in Cork called Franciscan Well, who used Jameson barrels to age a special stout beer in. When they returned the stout-seasoned barrels to the distillery, curiosity got the better of us. We refilled the barrels with whiskey for an additional 6 months… the result… incredible. It now has flavour notes of butterscotch, chocolate and coffee, as well as a round and smooth finish from the stout. Demand for this has gone through the roof! Originally only 3,500 Caskmates bottles were released but sold out immediately. Thankfully they decided to make some more, and we can even get it in Sweden now!

Any fun stories / secrets for our readers?

Recently at the distillery, our archivist discovered a very old notebook belonging to John Jameson II with old recipes and works notes. We’re now opening a micro-distillery so we can experiment with these historical recipes and bring some back to life, which is very exciting! Another interesting fact is about our Master Cooper Ger Buckley; his family have been making barrels for over 200 years and Ger himself is a 5th generation cooper at the distillery. He has some incredible stories and skill!

Why should Swedes try Irish whiskey?

Irish whiskey is very approachable and can be milder than the Scotch whiskey. Jameson has been around for 236 years so I like to think we know what we’re doing at this point! Taste-wise it’s slightly woody and slightly sweet, with the triple distillation bringing out an exceptionally smooth finish. Believe it or not but whiskey distillation was discovered by travelling Irish monks.

The word whiskey actually comes from the Irish/ Gaelic “Uisce Beatha” which means “water of life”.

What do you think of the bars in Sweden?

I think we are spoilt for choice; there’s such a variety of venues.

Image: Jameson Distillery

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Session Beer Something For the Summer Text: Leon Smith

In summer people tend to consume more of the light beers. Often drank in a bottle with a wedge of lime. The lime gives the beer freshness, and this tradition is most likely from Mexico, as Limes are extremely popular there.

Low-alcohol beer (also called light beer, non-alcoholic beer, small beer, small ale, or near-beer) is beer with low alcohol content or no alcohol, which aims to reproduce the taste of beer without the inebriating effects of standard alcoholic brews. Most low-alcohol beers are lagers, but there are some low-alcohol ales.

In the United States, beverages containing less than 0.5% alcohol by volume (ABV) were legally called non-alcoholic, according to the now-defunct Volstead Act. Because of its very low alcohol content, non-alcoholic beer may be legally sold to minors in many American states.

In the Britain, the following definitions apply by law. No alcohol or alcohol-free: not more than 0.05% ABV. De-alcoholised: over 0.05% but less than 0.5% ABV. Low alcohol: not more than 1.2% ABV In some parts of the European Union, beer must contain no more than 0.5% ABV if it is labelled “alcohol-free”. In Australia, the term “light beer” refers to any beer with less than 3% alcohol.

Spain is the main consumer and producer of low-alcohol beer in the European Union.

History Low-alcoholic brews such as small beer date back to at least Medieval Europe, where they served as a less risky alternative to water (which often was polluted by feces and parasites) and were less expensive than the full strength brews used at festivities. In the more modern forms, the temperance movements and general regard of certain tasks like driving being unsuitable when intoxicated led to the development of beers which could be drunk without intoxicating effects.In the United States, the conceptualizas to 2.75% in 1917 in an effort to appease avid prohibitionists. In 1919, Congress approved the 26

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Volstead Act, which limited the alcohol content of any beverage to 0.5%. These beverages became known as tonics, and many breweries began brewing these extremely low alcohol content beverages in order to keep from going out of business during Prohibition. Since removing the alcohol from the beer requires the addition of one simple step, many breweries saw this as an easy transition. In 1933, when Prohibition was repealed, removing this single step again was easily done by many breweries.

At the dawn of the 21st century, alcohol-free beer has seen a rise in popularity in the Middle East (which now makes up a third of the market). Part of the reason why it has grown in popularity is that Islamic scholars issued fatwas which permitted the consumption of beer so long as large quantities could be consumed without getting drunk.

Pros & Cons of Light Beer There are both up sides and down falls to converting traditional brews to non-alcoholic brews.

Positive aspects of converting standard brews to non-alcoholic brews include the ability to drive after consuming several drinks, the reduction of kidney/liver damage, and less intense hangover symptoms.

Some common complaints of non-alcoholic brews include a loss of flavor, addition of one step in the brewing process, sugary taste, and a shorter shelf life. Along with aesthetic shortcomings of non-alcoholic brews, they also raise serious legal implications. Local governments in some states like Pennsylvania prohibit the sale of these nonalcoholic brews to persons under the age of 21. A study conducted by the department of psychology at Indiana University claimed “Because non-alcoholic beer provides sensory cues that simulate alcoholic beer, this beverage may be more effective than other placebos in contributing to a credible

manipulation of expectancies to receive alcohol”, making people feel “drunk” when they physically are not.

Categories Light (reduced alcohol) Beer: This is beer that is reduced in alcohol content or in calories compared to regular beer. The spelling “lite beer” is also commonly used. Light beers may be chosen by beer drinkers who wish to manage their alcohol consumption or their calorie intake. However, these beers are sometimes criticized for being less flavorful than full-strength beers, being “watered down” (whether in perception or in fact), and thus advertising campaigns for light beers generally advertise their retention of flavor.

In Australia, regular beers have approximately 5% ABV; reduced-alcohol beers have 2.2%– 3.2%. In Canada, a reduced-alcohol beer contains 2.6%–4.0% ABV, and an “extra-light” beer contains less than 2.5% ABV. In the United States, most reduced-alcohol beers, including Bud Light, Coors Light, and Miller Lite have 4.2% ABV. This is a 16% reduction in alcohol compared to beer that has 5% ABV. In Sweden, low alcohol beer is either 2.8% or 3.5% and can be purchased in a regular supermarket whereas regular strength beers of above 3.5% must be purchased at the Systembolaget Non-alcoholic Beer: This is an area of extreme growth particularly in Europe and during the Summer months. The reason for this is more outdoor parties, barbeques, and pregnant women who wish to enjoy a beer without affecting their baby’s health and people who wish to drive.

Alcohol free beers produced yeast-free ensures 0.00% alcohol by volume. The Middle East accounts for almost a third of worldwide sales of non-alcoholic and alcohol-free beer.

Low-point Beer: This is often known in America as “three-two beer” or “3 point 2 brew”, is beer that contains 3.2% alcohol by weight (equivalent to about 4% ABV). The term “low-point beer” is unique to the United States, where some states limit the sale of beer, but beers of this type are also available in countries (such as Sweden and Finland) that tax or otherwise regulate beer according to its alcohol content.

In Sweden, beer containing up to 3.5% ABV (called Folköl or “Peoples’ Beer”) may be legally sold in any convenience store to people over 18 years of age, whereas stronger beer may only be sold in state-run liquor stores to people older than 20. In addition, businesses selling food for on-premises consumption do not need an alcohol license to serve 3.5% beer. Virtually all major Swedish brewers, and several international ones, in addition to their full-strength beer, make 3.5% folköl versions as well.

In the United States, 3.2 beer was the highest alcohol content beer allowed to be produced legally for nine months in 1933. As part of his New Deal, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Cullen–Harrison Act that repealed the Volstead Act on March 22, 1933. In December 1933, the Twenty-first Amendment to the United States Constitution was passed, negating the federal government’s power to regulate the sale of alcoholic beverages, though states retained the power to regulate.

Near Beer: Originally, this was a term for malt beverages containing little or no alcohol (less than 0.5% ABV), which were mass-marketed during Prohibition in the United States. Near beer could not legally be labeled as “beer” and was officially classified as a “cereal beverage”.

The public, however, almost universally called it “near beer”.

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Session Beer -continued The most popular “near beer” was Bevo, brewed by the Anheuser-Busch company. The Pabst company brewed “Pablo”, Miller brewed “Vivo”, and Schlitz brewed “Famo”. Many local and regional breweries stayed in business by marketing their own near-beers. By 1921 production of near beer had reached over 300 million US gallons (1 billion L) a year (36 L/s).

A popular illegal practice was to add alcohol to near beer. The resulting beverage was known as spiked beer or needle beer, so called because a needle was used to inject alcohol through the cork of the bottle or keg.

Food critic and writer Waverley Root described the common American near beer as “such a wishy-washy, thin, ill-tasting, discouraging sort of slop that it might have been dreamed up by a Puritan Machiavelli with the intent of disgusting drinkers with genuine beer forever.” Today, the term “near beer” has been revived to refer to modern non-alcoholic beer. A drink similar to “near beer”, “bjórlíki” was quite popular in Iceland before alcoholic beer was made legal in 1989. The Icelandic variant normally consisted of a shot of vodka added to a half-a-liter glass of light beer.

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Small Beer or Small Ale: This contains very little alcohol. Sometimes unfiltered and porridgelike, it was a favoured drink in Medieval Europe and colonial North America as opposed to the often polluted water and the expensive beer used for festivities. Small beer was also produced in households for consumption by children and servants at those occasions.

However, small beer/small ale can also refer to a beer made of the “second runnings” from a very strong beer (e.g., scotch ale) mash.

These beers can be as strong as mild ale, depending on the strength of the original mash.

(Drake’s 24th Anniversary Imperial Small Beer was expected to reach above 9.5% abv. This was done as an economy measure in household brewing in England up to the 18th century and is still done by some homebrewers. One commercial brewery, San Francisco’s Anchor Brewing Company, also produces their Anchor Small Beer using the second runnings from their Old Foghorn Barleywine. The term is also used derisively for commercially produced beers which are thought to taste too weak.

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Trappist Beer, More than a Beer!

Text: Per Brandorf Helsing

It would be fair to say that Belgian beer is the worlds finest and that many connoisseurs share this opinion. Nevertheless, Belgian beer varies in many styles. Some would argue the label “Belgian beer” is too diverse. No one can love them all. You simply have to pick one or a few favorites among the styles.

I was thought this lesson when I made my first visit in Old Amsterdam. A cheese store located in the south part of Stockholm. I explained my wish for a cheese suitable for Belgian beer to the Dutch owner, Mr. Rovers. He explained it would be impossible to suggest any kind of cheese if the only lead was “suitable for Belgian beer”. I told him it was a Trappist. The answer wouldn’t satisfy Mr. Rovers but it was enough for introducing me to the department of Trappist cheese. “-Now what kind of Trappist do you keep at home”, he asked. It was a bottle of Benno from Stift Engelzell. “-Oh that is not from Belgium but still a Trappist”, he comfortably corrected me before cutting some samples of cheese.

I left the store somewhat reprimanded but also enriched with a few Trappist anecdotes and a couple of cheese´s.

Right or wrong, I still classify beers as German, English or Belgian etc. If it comes to enjoying a beer, my choice would normally be a beer of Belgian style and if possible, a Trappist beer from some of the Dutch or Belgian monasteries. However, Trappist beer is not a style itself. There are currently 11 beers with an ATP label (Authentic Trappist Product). All are unique and I couldn’t claim to like them all, but for me, Trappist beer is more than just a beer.

Anybody with a great interest for history could find a great pleasure in learning about the Christian order of St.Bennedict. This Cistercian order, founded in 1098 AD, has brewed beer since the 13th century, although most of what today is known as Trappist beer origins from the 19th century.

The brewing must be conducted by Trappist monks in a monastery. Not in a big commercial factory some could guess a worldwide beer would be distributed from. Often the brewing is manufactured in an old handcrafted tradition. Maybe it doesn’t add extra taste but it makes it more genuine and tasty.

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Image: A monk’s Beer

Apart from being produced within the walls of a Trappist monastery or under the supervision of monks, a Trappist has to satisfy two more criteria before it can bear its name. The brewery must practice a proper monastic way of life and whatever profit that remains after covering the monks living expenses is donated to social purposes. This is a beer produced for a noble cause.

Anytime you enjoy it, you also support something greater.

The advertising of Trappist beer is marked by soberness and modesty proper to the faith shared by the monks. This is not a beer culture based on quantity but on pure quality. A Trappist is consumed in harmony over a longer period. It must be given its proper time to develop and enable its complexity. The epithet “one is for pleasure, two is for its perfection, three is sin” goes well on how one should get most out of a Trappist.

Trappist tradition has developed to a rich beer culture, carefully maintained by devoted monks over centuries. The monasteries have overcome revolutions, wars and pressure from commercial interests. What is true for so many other things is no different for the Trappists. Faith, dedication, and hard work is a winning concept in good.

A Trappist is best enjoyed somewhere quite, in good company with likeminded friends. My suggestion would be a Tripel. This style was first made by the Trappist monastery of Westmale.

I would say the Tripel from Koningshoeven (La Trappe) is my general favorite although what is “favorite” comes with some seasonality. A good Tripel is overwhelming but well balanced, full bodied but not heavy and sweet but not sugary.

The dry finish is phenomenal. But don’t just take my word for it!

Let yourself be seduced by Trappish Beauty.

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Gin........

Text: Tristan Gentile

We have all heard the expression” Dutch Courage” Bet you didn’t know it was acquired from drinking Gin. And is a very old expression dating back to William of Orange!

The spirit which derives its predominant flavour from juniper berries since its earliest origins. Gin was developed on the basis of the older jenever, and became popular in Great Britain when William of Orange, leader of the Dutch Republic, occupied the English, Scottish and Irish thrones with his wife Mary. Gin is one of the broadest categories of spirits, represented by products of various origins, styles, and flavour profiles that all revolve around juniper as a common ingredient.

Although several different styles of gin have evolved, it is legally differentiated into four categories in the European Union, which are described as follows.

Juniper-flavoured spirit drinks This includes the earliest class of gin, which is produced by pot distilling a fermented grain mash to moderate strength (e.g. 68% ABV), and then redistilling it with botanicals to extract the aromatic compounds. It must be bottled at a minimum of 30% ABV. Gin-This is a juniper-flavoured spirit made not via the re-distillation of botanicals, but by simply adding approved natural flavouring substances to a neutral spirit of agricultural origin. The predominant flavour must be juniper.

Distilled gin-This is produced exclusively by redistilling ethanol of agricultural origin with an initial strength of 96% ABV in stills traditionally used for gin, in the presence of juniper berries and of other natural botanicals, provided that the juniper taste is predominant. Gin obtained simply by adding essences or flavourings to ethanol of agricultural origin is not distilled gin.

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Image: A popular gin

Just The Tonic London gin is obtained exclusively from ethanol of agricultural origin with a maximum methanol content of 5 grams per hectolitre of 100% ABV equivalent, whose flavour is introduced exclusively through the re-distillation in traditional stills of ethanol in the presence of all the natural plant materials used, the resultant distillate of which is at least 70% ABV. London gin may not contain added sweetening exceeding 0.1 grams of sugars per litre of the final product, nor colorants, nor any added ingredients other than water. The term London gin may be supplemented by the term “dry”.

In the EU, the minimum bottled alcoholic strength for gin, distilled gin, and London gin is 37.5% ABV. Production methods Several different techniques for the production of gin have evolved since its early origins, this evolution being reflective of ongoing modernization in distillation and flavouring techniques. As a result of this evolution, gins can be broadly differentiated into three basic styles.

Pot distilled gin represents the earliest style of gin, and is traditionally produced by pot distilling a fermented grain mash (malt wine) from barley and or other grains, then redistilling it with flavouring botanicals to extract the aromatic compounds. A double gin can be produced by redistilling the first gin again with more botanicals.

Due to the use of pot stills, the alcohol content of the distillate is relatively low; around 68% ABV for a single distilled gin or 76% ABV for a double gin. This type of gin is often aged in tanks or wooden casks, and retains a heavier, malty flavour that gives it a marked resemblance to whisky.

Column distilled gin evolved following the invention of the Coffey still, and is produced by first distilling high proof (e.g. 96% ABV) neutral spirits from a fermented mash or wash using a refluxing still such as a column still. The fermentable base for this spirit may be derived from grain, sugar beets, grapes, potatoes, sugar cane, plain sugar, or any other material of agricultural origin.

Compound gin is made by simply flavouring neutral spirits with essences and/or other ‘natural flavourings’ without re-distillation.

The Background story English soldiers who provided support in Antwerp against the Spanish in 1585, during the Eighty Years’ War, were already drinking genever for its calming effects before battle, from which the term Dutch Courage is believed to have originated.

By the mid-17th Century, numerous small Dutch and Flemish distillers (some 400 in Amsterdam alone by 1663) had popularized the re-distillation of malt spirit or malt wine with juniper, anise, caraway, coriander, etc, which were sold in pharmacies and used to treat such medical problems as kidney ailments, lumbago, stomach ailments, gallstones, and gout. Gin emerged in England in varying forms as of the early 17th Century, and at the time of the Restoration, enjoyed a brief resurgence. When William of Orange, ruler of the Dutch Republic, occupied the British throne, gin became vastly more popular, particularly in crude, inferior forms, where it was more likely to be flavoured with turpentine as an alternative to juniper.

Gin drinking in England rose significantly after the Government allowed unlicensed gin production and at the same time imposed a heavy duty on all imported spirits. This created a market for poor-quality grain that was unfit for brewing beer, and thousands of gin-shops sprang up throughout England, a period known as the Gin Craze. Because of the relative price of gin, when compared with other drinks available at the same time and in the same geographic location, gin began to be consumed regularly by the poor. Of the 15,000 drinking establishments in London, not including coffee shops and drinking chocolate shops, over half were gin shops. Beer maintained a healthy reputation as it was often safer to drink the brewed ale than unclean plain water.

Gin, though, was blamed for various social problems. The Gin Act 1736 imposed high taxes on retailers and led to riots in the streets. The prohibitive duty was gradually reduced and finally abolished seven years later. The Gin Act 1751 was more successful, however; it forced distillers to sell only to licensed retailers and brought gin shops under the jurisdiction of local magistrates. Gin in the 18th Century was produced in pot stills, and was somewhat sweeter than the London Gin known today.

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Gin -continued Image: “ Shaken not stired” How James Bond likes his Martini.

Classic Gin cocktails A well-known Gin cocktail is a favourite of fictional charactorJames Bond,(featured below).

The Martini, traditionally made with gin and dry vermouth. Several other notable gin-based drinks can be see to the right.

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20th Century Fallen Angel Gibson Gimlet Gin and tonic Gin Fizz Gin Rickey Martini Moon River Negroni Old Etonian Pimm’s Cup Pink Gin Ramos Gin Fizz Satan’s Whiskers Singapore Sling The Last Word Tom Collins Vesper White Lady

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Carola Common – How popular can craft beer get?

Text: Erik Öl-sson

Nobody can argue that the craft-beer scene is becoming a force in Sweden.

Every year more and more breweries seem to pop-out of nowhere. The days when craft-beer only was something enjoyed by a handful of strange old bearded men, are definitely over. What used to be exotic beer styles such as IPA, imperial stout, lambic et cetera is now on everyone’s lips.

Question is now, how will the beer industry be able to cope with this new fame and spotlight? From being a small backyard act to now hit the center stage with millions of applauding alcohol consumers now chanting the names of their favorite breweries.

Have we ever found something similar in the history of Swedish culture? Here we can find some really interesting comparisons. One phenomenon that instantly springs to mind is the Swedish tex-mex dinner that is now a well-established part of Swedish food culture. In the 90’s this went from something new and exotic to rapidly become the dinner of every average-joe on Friday night. If the craftbeer industry is now heading in the same direction we have to ask ourselves if the American pale ale is becoming the “minced-meat taco” of beers. Are well established breweries like Oppigård and NilsOscar becoming the Santa Maria of craft-beer? Are the cross-over styles we see now like black IPA, modern lager etc just like a tex-mex fusion dinner when your burrito is flirting with some Asian or Cajun food? The similarities here are definitely mindblowing.

In the world of music we have over the years had several equally interesting movements. The obvious association here is the development of “Melodifestivalen” over the last 15-20 years. From being the interest of a smaller group of people this movement is now touring around the country being present in every mid-size city in Sweden. There are definitely some obvious comparisons with the craft-beer scene here as well. Just as in Melodifestivalen the craft beer scene still has some golden oldies that seem to appear every year. ESB, Pilsner Urquell and Samuel Adams Boston Lager can be seen on TV every year in the shape of Carola , Kikki Danielsson and Andreas Lundstedt. Then there’s the never-ending discussion whether big breweries can produce craft-beer or not, well since Kenta performed in the 1980 edition of Melodifestivalen with his song “Utan 36

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att fråga”, I would say why not. Who is then the Christer Björkman of the craft-beer scene? Fortunately I don’t think we have seen him yet. But we should all try to keep him in mind if someone all of sudden wants to create a beer competition that seems to run all year long just to become the guru of the entire show.

Have we seen anything like the craft-beer revolution in literature? Most definitely! The Swedish crime novel has experienced something very similar. From being very much frowned upon in the beginning, now it’s an important part of Swedish culture. Also here we can find some mind-blowing similarities. We got the groundbreakers such as Dugges and Slottskällan which can be considered the Sjöwall-Walhöö of craftbeer. Then we have the followers releasing an expensive fruity IPA every other month that just can’t stop selling. This is obviously the Camilla Läckberg of the scene.

Since we have seen this pattern over and over again in Swedish history we must ask ourselves where this will end. How popular can craft-beer get? What position in Swedish culture will it have in 20 years? The only limit here is our imagination. When can we see “Så ska det låta” being replaced by “Så ska det skålas”, a funny gameshow featuring Edward Blom where the guests get to guess different beer brands by solving puzzles?

Christmas Eve will probably be a lot better when “Kalle Anka och hans vänner” are replaced by Nils Oscar and his friends. You can just imagine the warm feeling inside when the host opens a can of imperial stout instead of lighting a candle.

How long will it take until all swedes are dancing around a gigantic bottle of California Common instead of a maypole on midsummer’s eve? Only the future holds the answers. The development of craft-beer is astonishing and it will be a tasty ride into the heart of Swedish culture! Cheers!

Image: Sweden’s Carola

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Mix like a Boss!

Rum in Trinidad Text: Jonas Larsson.

Photo: Jonas Larsson

It will be a great evening in the bar when taking twelve of the world’s best mixers, ship them down to Trinidad and lets them do two cocktails was seven minutes.

Best of Booze was there and watched the Angostura Global Cocktail Challenge in 2016.

It is moderately cool where I sit with John Georges, Master Distiller at Angostura Limited and talking rum, outside is over 30 degrees - in the shade. Trinidad is located just off the coast of Venzuela and has summer all year round.

“How would you describe your rum in a simple way?” I ask. “I once answered the question and the answer will haunt me the rest of my life.” Laughs John. “I usually say that it is like single malt, but much better!” A mildly cocky statement, especially when it comes from such a humble gentleman John Georges, but I understand what he means.

12 finalists are here, having won in races in different regions around the world, where a total of 287 contestants set up and now it’s only 12 left.

Swede Daniel Westman, a daily bar manager at the Stockholm inn Farang’s European representative. Daniel swept the carpetion with bare little in Europe on an autumn day in Madrid, and now I see the quiet Mora Son, go back and forth on Angosturas backyard, first, I think he’s talking on the phone but it turns out he repeats his performance. Competition is fierce, Daniel has said that he is well prepared but he does not know how it will go, there are many talented mixers here.

Cocktail Competition Angostura Bitter, the small bottle with a yellow cap and the major label is one that most people recognize. One, it has been shown, ingenious marketing move if a mistake from the beginning. Angostura Bitter are a staple in bars around the world and is often referred to cocktails as salt and pepper. A few drops put that extra murmurings of the drink. But I’m not in Trinidad so much for the Bitter, which is to attend the Angostura Global Cocktail Challenge, a competition for bartenders from around the world which takes place every two years, and to taste the rum of course.

Old traditions During 1824 in the small town of Angostura (now known as the Ciudad Bolivar) mixed Dr. Johann Siegert his own mixture against stomach pains during his service as chief physician in Simón Bolívar’s army. The good doctor would never have thought that his aromatic bitters would become the salt and pepper of mixers all over the world. But it was his three sons, Carlos, Alfredo and Luis Siegert in the 1870’s who emigrated to Trinidad and launched Angostura aromatic bitters as a commercial product for use in cocktails. The recipe is to this day a secret and only five people know it.

The contest is to make two cocktails in seven minutes. One will consist of one or more of Angostura rums plus Angostura Bitter, the other will contain Angostura Orange Bitters but can then contain any alcohol whatsoever. The winner will receive $ 10 000 and the job as “Global Brand Ambassador” for Angostura in two years.

Alongside Bitter so they produced rum, and in 1970 they bought up the legendary rum distillery Fernandes dating back to 1890. Today it produced five different rum varieties for export, four dark and one white. All in a premium segment. And soon released a new one,15 year old dark rum, we had to sample and it taste great!

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Tension Rises The competition venue begins to thicken the atmosphere, the previously hilarious bartenders go nervously around and mumble to themselves or standing with their gear. There will be no less tense of the entire event is broadcast live on the respective bars where they work.

The judges that are in place are well-known players in bar world. Jury chairman Jeff “Beach Bum” Berry, uncrowned king with several books behind him inspires a kind of respect among participants. With the jury is also the 2014 winner, Michael Tomasic from Australia, Esther Medina Cuesta, named the fourth most influential person in the food industry in the UK, Kathy Casey from the US, prestigious and renowned chef and the founder of “The Liquid Kitchen” a website where she takes the kitchen into the bar and Carol Homer, sensory faculty and Senior Manager of the quality of Angostura Limited.

It will prove that they do not get an easy task this day.

New Zealand Cameron Attfield is first out, a tall and lanky man with a large beard. Cameron does well even if his hands are shaking significantly, it will prove that the majority is quite shaky. The Brazilian bartender Matheus Cuncha have such self-confidence that he interrupts concoctions and running a card tricks with the judges, Paul Peterson of St. Maarten has Swedish roots and presents his cocktails on a small tray with sand and seashells from her home island, and a small speaker that plays suitable music. Jonathan Ross from Canada feels like a favorite, even if he pulls over on time, neat presentation with a great confidence.

When Daniel goes up, it is more like a well prepared athlete. He has put all things in their proper place. The otherwise laid-back man turns into a thorough professional, he runs an excellent and rehearsed presentation. His Cóctel Naranja De Holanda is intended as a predinner drink with their mouth-watering ingredients, served in an antique cocktail glass is amazingly beautiful, rum cocktail is named Independency Cocktail, when Daniel created the Trinidad and Tobago’s National Day on August 31, the he has taken produced its own perfume based on rum Angostura 1919, meant to be sprayed on the wrist only to enhance the experience of the cocktail! Well you get, no screwdriver level of these drinks.

The wait is long, but when the only female participant, Elizabeth Mickiewicz from Chicago completed its Trinidad Cobbler then pulls back the judges. The rest of us go out in the courtyard nervously sipping our drinks.

Home win The joy is immense when at home son Neal Ramdhan crowned the winner and great rejoicing breaks out, even if the disappointment is great among the other participants, it is still a relief that it’s over. I ask a little ironic Daniel if he is bitter, but Oh no, saying that he wanted to win the judges judge says former hockey player diplomatically. John Georges mean that they are all winners and to get to the finals and make new contacts are a big part of the competition or as they say in Trinidad

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Sweden’s Summer Wine Text: Tristan Gentile

In Sweden in particular, summer wine drinkers reach for Rosé, its light and refreshing, not too sweet not too dry, it’s perfect. I couldn’t imagine a better drink for a picnic.

Rosé has been around for a very long time, its name is French but is known as rosado in Portugal and Spanish-speaking countries rosado or rosato in Italy) is a type of wine that incorporates some of the color from the grape skins, but not enough to qualify it as a red wine. It may be the oldest known type of wine, as it is the most straightforward to make with the skin contact method. The pink color can range from a pale “onion”-skin orange to a vivid nearpurple, depending on the grape varieties used and winemaking techniques. There are three major ways to produce rosé wine: skin contact, saignée and blending. Rosé wines can be made still, semi-sparkling or sparkling and with a wide range of sweetness levels from bone-dry Provençal rosé to sweet White Zinfandels and blushes. Rosé are made from a wide variety of grapes and can be found all across the globe.

When Rosé wine is the primary product, it is produced with the skin contact method. Blackskinned grapes are crushed and the skins are allowed to remain in contact with the juice for a short period, typically one to three days. The must is then pressed, and the skins are discarded rather than left in contact throughout fermentation (as with red wine making). The longer that the skins are left in contact with the juice, the more intense the color of the final wine.

When a winemaker desires to impart more tannin and color to a red wine, some of the pink juice from the must can be removed at an early stage in what is known as the Saignée method.

The red wine remaining in the vats is intensified as a result of the bleeding, because the volume of juice in the must is reduced, and the must involved in the maceration becomes more concentrated. The pink juice that is removed can be fermented separately to produce rosé.

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In other parts of the world, blending, the simple mixing of red wine to a white to impart color, is uncommon. This method is discouraged in most wine growing regions, especially in France, where it is forbidden by law, except for Champagne. Even in Champagne, several high-end producers do not use this method but rather the saignée method.

New World Rosés While there have been rosés made in the European style throughout the American winemaking history, it wasn’t until the end of the 20th century that “pink wines” became a truly significant segment of the American wine market.

In what has been described by wine experts such as Jancis Robinson as a “marketing triumph”, California winemaker Bob Trinchero of Sutter Home salvaged a stuck fermentation of his 1972 red Zinfandel wine by releasing a paler, sweeter rosé colored wine that he labeled as “White Zinfandel”. Though he wasn’t the first Californian winemaker to make a white wine out of Zinfandel, he was the first to aggressively market it as a new wine style and Sutter Home saw sales of “White Zin” soar from 25,000 cases in 1980 to more than 1.5 million in 1986.

The wine became so popular that it actually saved old vine Zinfandel plantings that were in danger of being uprooted and replanted with more “marketable” international varieties and even encouraged newer plantings.

Today, White Zinfandels are considered part of the “blush wine” category of noticeably sweet, pale pink wines that often have very slight carbonation to give the wine a balance of acidity and some “liveliness”.

Very often winemakers will blend aromatic varieties like Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Muscat to add to the fruity nose of the wine.

Note: Remember to always drink in moderation.

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Drinking Songs..

Another Irish creation!

Text: Leon Smith

Ireland has been known as the land of Saints and Scholars, but even these Saints and Scholars needed to let their hair down once in a while. Some of these songs certainly set the mood. The most fascinating aspect is how old these songs are.

Summer is wonderful in Ireland.

The Irish have a joke that Summer is just one day. Ireland celebarates the 1916 Uprising this year. And if anyone knows how to throw a party its the Irish.. Book your flight now and join the party! Ok back to the topic at hand-oh yes Irish Music.

Ireland has had so many muscans over the years

“The Irish Rover” is an Irish folk song about a magnificent, though improbable, sailing ship that reaches an unfortunate end. It has been recorded by numerous artists, some of whom have made changes to the lyrics.

The song describes a gigantic 27 masted ship with a colourful crew and varied types of cargo in enormous amounts. The verses grow successively more extravagant about the wonders of the great ship. The seven-year voyage comes to a disastrous end after losing its way in the fog, striking a rock, and spinning nine times around before sinking with most of the crew and the captain’s old dog aboard – everyone except the singer, who in the last line of the song is revealed to be the lone survivor of The Irish Rover’s ill-fated final voyage, so there is no one alive to contradict the tale.

“The

Irish Rover”

On the fourth of July eighteen hundred and six We set sail from the sweet cove of Cork We were sailing away with a cargo of bricks For the grand city hall in New York ‘Twas a wonderful craft, she was rigged fore-and-aft. And oh, how the wild winds drove her.

She’d got several blasts, she’d twenty-seven masts. And we called her the Irish Rover.

We had one million bales of the best Sligo rags We had two million barrels of stones We had three million sides of old blind horses hides, We had four million barrels of bones.

We had five million hogs, we had six million dogs, Seven million barrels of porter.

We had eight million bails of old nanny goats’ tails.In the hold of the Irish Rover.

There was awl Mickey Coote who played hard on his flute When the ladies lined up for his set He was tootin’ with skill for each sparkling quadrille Though the dancers were fluther’d and bet With his sparse witty talk he was cock of the walk As he rolled the dames under and over They all knew at a glance when he took up his stance And he sailed in the Irish Rover There was Barney McGee from the banks of the Lee, There was Hogan from County Tyrone There was Jimmy McGurk who was scared stiff of work And a man from Westmeath called Malone There was Slugger O’Toole who was drunk as a rule And fighting Bill Tracey from Dover And your man Mick McCann from the banks of the Bann Was the skipper of the Irish Rover We had sailed seven years when the measles broke out And the ship lost its way in a fog.

And that whale of the crew was reduced down to two, Just meself and the captain’s old dog.

Then the ship struck a rock, oh Lord what a shock The bulkhead was turned right over Turned nine times around, and the poor dog was drowned I’m the last of the Irish Rover

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Drinking Songs continued Text: Tristan Gentile

Image: The Dubliners “Whiskey in the Jar” This is a well-known Irish traditional song, set in the southern mountains of Ireland, often with specific mention of counties Cork and Kerry. The song is about a Rapparee (Highwayman), who is betrayed by his wife or lover, and is one of the most widely performed traditional Irish songs. It has been recorded by numerous professional artists since the 1950s.

The song first gained wide exposure when the Irish folk band The Dubliners performed it internationally as a signature song, and recorded it on three albums in the 1960s. Building on their success, the Irish rock band Thin Lizzy hit the Irish and British pop charts with the song in the early 1970s. In 1990 The Dubliners re-recorded the song with The Pogues with a faster rocky version charting at No.4 in Ireland and No.63 in the UK. The American metal band Metallica brought it to a wider rock audience in 1998 by playing a version very similar to that of Thin Lizzy’s, though with a heavier sound, winning a Grammy for the song in 2000 for Best Hard Rock Performance.

The story “Whiskey in the Jar” is the tale of a highwayman or footpad who, after robbing a military or government official, is betrayed by a woman; whether she is his wife or sweetheart is not made clear. Various versions of the song take place in Kerry, Cork and other locales throughout Ireland.

It is also sometimes placed in the American South, in various places among the Ozarks or Appalachians, possibly due to Irish settlement in these places.

Names in the song change, and the official can be a Captain or a Colonel, called Farrell or Pepper among other names. The protagonist’s wife or lover is sometimes called Molly, Jenny, or Ginny among various other names. The details of the betrayal are also different, being either betraying him to the person he robbed and replacing his ammunition with sand or water, or not, resulting in his killing the person.

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History The song’s exact origins are unknown. A number of its lines and the general plot resemble those of a contemporary broadside ballad “Patrick Fleming” (also called “Patrick Flemmen he was a Valiant Soldier”) about an Irish highwayman executed in 1650.

In the book The Folk Songs of North America, folk music historian Alan Lomax suggests that the song originated in the 17th century, and (based on plot similarities) that John Gay’s 1728 The Beggar’s Opera was inspired by Gay hearing an Irish ballad-monger singing “Whiskey in the Jar”. In regard to the history of the song, Lomax states, “The folk of seventeenth century Britain liked and admired their local highwaymen; and in Ireland (or Scotland) where the gentlemen of the roads robbed English landlords, they were regarded as national patriots. Such feelings inspired this rollicking ballad.”

The song appeared in a form close to its modern version in a precursor called “The Sporting Hero, or, Whiskey in the Bar” in a mid-1850s broadsheet. The song collector Colm Ó Lochlainn, in his book Irish Street Ballads, described how his mother learnt “Whiskey in the Jar” in Limerick in 1870 from a man called Buckley who came from Cork. When O Lochlainn included the song in Irish Street Ballads, he wrote down the lyrics from memory as he had learnt them from his mother. He called the song “There’s Whiskey in the Jar”, and the lyrics are virtually identical to the version that was used by Irish bands in the 1960s such as the Dubliners. The O Lochlainn version refers to the “far fam’d Kerry mountain” rather than the Cork and Kerry mountains, as appears in some versions. The song also appears under the title “There’s Whiskey in the Jar” in the Joyce collection, but that only includes the melody line without any lyrics. Versions of the song were collected in the 1920s in Northern Ireland by song collector Sam Henry.

Image: Thin Lizzy

Whiskey in the Jar (words and music traditional) As I was going over the far famed Kerry mountains I met with captain Farrell and his money he was counting.

I first produced my pistol, and then produced my rapier.

Said stand and deliver, for I am a bold deceiver, musha ring dumma do damma da whack for the daddy ‘ol whack for the daddy ‘ol there’s whiskey in the jar I counted out his money, and it made a pretty penny.

I put it in my pocket and I took it home to Jenny.

She said and she swore, that she never would deceive me, but the devil take the women, for they never can be easy I went into my chamber, all for to take a slumber, I dreamt of gold and jewels and for sure it was no wonder.

But Jenny took my charges and she filled them up with water, Then sent for captain Farrel to be ready for the slaughter.

It was early in the morning, as I rose up for travel, The guards were all around me and likewise captain Farrel.

I first produced my pistol, for she stole away my rapier, But I couldn’t shoot the water so a prisoner I was taken.

Image: Rory Gallagher

If anyone can aid me, it’s my brother in the army, If I can find his station down in Cork or in Killarney.

And if he’ll come and save me, we’ll go roving near Kilkenny, And I swear he’ll treat me better than me darling sportling Jenny Now some men take delight in the drinking and the roving, But others take delight in the gambling and the smoking.

But I take delight in the juice of the barley, And courting pretty fair maids in the morning bright and early.

Image:The Pogues, Shane Macgowan BEST OF BOOZE_ Nº 02 2016

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